Chicago White Sox: 3 players who surprisingly stepped up big time
Good teams need to be 26-men deep. The Chicago White Sox certainly fit that description. They received contributions from up and down the lineup on their way to a 93-69 record and an American League Central Division title.
The season did not end the way they would have liked as they were embarrassed by the Houtson Astros during the ALDS. The team fell 10 wins short of their ultimate goal of winning a World Series. However, this team should be applauded for the strides they made.
It is the first time the White Sox have made back-to-back postseasons in franchise history. They had four All-Stars in Carlos Rodon, Lance Lynn, Liam Hendriks, and Tim Anderson. Rodon and Lynn will also be in the Cy Young conversation.
They also received contributions from rookies such as Yermin Mercedes, Andrew Vaughn, Jake Burger, Garrett Crochet, and Gavin Sheets. Luis Robert looks like he has taken the next step to becoming a superstar.
The Chicago White Sox needed help from everyone to win in the 2021 season.
Heading into the season, fans knew the White Sox roster was good. With established veterans such as Jose Abreu, Lance Lynn, Yasmani Grandal, Tim Anderson and Yoan Moncada mixed in with young studs like Luis Robert, Dylan Cease, Micheal Kopech, the White Sox roster was stacked.
But there were also some surprising contributions from players who stepped up big time for the Chicago White Sox in 2021. Whether it was playing a position they were not used to, making an immediate impact, or coming out of nowhere to have a breakout season, these three players rose to the challenge:
Andrew Vaughn
Andrew Vaughn was incredible at times for the 2021 Chicago White Sox.
The White Sox did not set up Andrew Vaughn for success in 2021. Despite just 55 minor league games under his belt, he was slated to be the White Sox primary designated hitter when the season started.
Then disaster struck. Eloy Jimenez injured himself in spring training trying to rob a home run leaving the White Sox without a left fielder. That shifted Andrew Vaughn to left field, a position he had never played before.
Learning to hit major league pitching is hard enough as it is. Hitting major league pitching with limited minor league experience is even harder. Throw in the wrinkle of learning an entirely new position and you got yourself a tough task as a rookie. Vaughn rose to the challenge.
Despite learning to play an entirely new position while simultaneously learning how to hit in the big leagues, Vaughn thrived in left field. He turned himself into an above-average defender with a highlight reel filled with multiple diving catches and a home run robbery. Vaughn recorded 132 putouts in left along with three outfield assists.
Not only has Vaughn been a great left fielder but he has been a versatile defender. Tony La Russa played him across the diamond. The 23-year old saw 18 games in right field, 15 at first base, one at second base, and two at third base.
The rookie was also fourth on the team with 15 home runs. He also led all White Sox rookies with 48 RBIs. Vaughn finished the year with a .235/.309/.705 slash line. While the average will only continue to get higher as he matures as a hitter, the clutch gene is already there.
Vaughn hit a game-tying home run off Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning on May 23rd and hit a go-ahead home run in the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals a day later. On June 8th, he hit a game-tying home run in the seventh inning in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays. In his next at-bat, he hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the eighth inning.
During the postseason Vaughn had two hits in five at-bats including a double and an RBI. Andrew Vaughn played a critical role by providing patchwork for the defense and giving the bottom of the order some pop against left-handed pitching.
Gavin Sheets
Gavin Sheets came out of nowhere for the Chicago White Sox later in the year.
Gavin Sheets was everything the White Sox could have asked for and more. They needed another left-handed power bat. Upon being called up in June, all Sheets did was rake. It didn’t take long for him to make an impact either.
In his first game, he became the first White Sox player since Craig Wilson in 1998 to have multiple hits and RBIs in his Major League Debut. By his second game, he had his first Major League home run.
The 25-year old lefty belted 11 home runs in just 54 games including a dramatic walk-off home run to complete a come from behind win over the Twins on July 19th. Sheets finished the year with 34 RBIs a .250 average and a .506 slugging percentage.
Even more impressive was his .830 OPS. His performance during the regular season earned him more at-bats late in the year. Tony La Russa’s trust in him spilled over to the postseason. During the ALDS, Sheets had two multi-hit games.
In Game 4, he put the only White Sox run on the board with a solo home run and later contributed a double. With continued lineup protection and a full season in the big leagues, Sheets has the opportunity to put up some massive numbers next year. This year, he was on pace for 33 home runs and 102 RBIs if he played the full season.
Carlos Rodon
Carlos Rodon was magnificent for the Chicago White Sox this season.
Carlos Rodon always had the stuff to be a great pitcher but it just never materialized for him in Chicago. After having his career derailed by injuries, the White Sox non-tendered him then pulled him off the scrap heap over the offseason for cheap.
The former first-round pick had to fight for a job in spring training. He wasn’t even guaranteed a spot in the starting rotation. He beat out Reynaldo Lopez and never looked back. Rodon posted the lowest ERA of his career with a 2.37 mark.
Opponents hit just .189 off of him and he carried a 0.96 WHIP. He was tied for first on the White Sox with 13 wins and was third on the team with 185 strikeouts. The highlight of the season came when Rodon twirled a no-hitter against Cleveland in April and came just two outs shy of a perfect game.
This season, Rodón also passed Billy Pierce for the third-most career double-digit strikeout efforts by a left-handed pitcher in White Sox franchise history. Pierce has his number retired by the White Sox and is one of the all-time greats so, Rodon is in some good company.
The southpaw also tied the record for the most games in a season with 10 plus strikeouts and two or fewer hits allowed since 1901. He had five such games this season. Only five other pitchers have accomplished this feat.
His efforts were rewarded with his first All-Star selection. Rodon’s stuff was electric all season long. His fastball reached triple digits and his slider was devasting. He did get slowed down by injuries late in the season but gutted it out and emptied the tank during the playoffs.
Rodon played a major role in making the White Sox starting rotation one of the best in the big leagues. Hopefully, all of these guys can make major contributions to the White Sox in 2022 and beyond.
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